Rally in Sacramento Against Anti-Semitism Prompted by Slew of Recent Hateful Activity

Community leaders and lawmakers will join Sacramento’s Jewish community on Monday afternoon on the State Capitol’s steps to rally against antisemitism in California. The rally coincides with a proposed law that would require all student government bodies in California to provide and take part in mandatory training in discrimination and civil rights.

A rise in antisemitism across University of California campuses–including swastikas at UC Davis and the passage of votes at UCLA to divest from both America and Israel–culminating with a Sacramento resident refusing to remove swastikas he put up from the exterior of his home recently, were the igniting factors behind Monday’s rally.

“We will simply not tolerate hatred in our community,” Barry Broad, who is president of the Jewish Federation, said in an interview with local CBS News affiliate KHTK-13 in Sacramento. “It’s very, very worrisome,” he said.

Community members sent a message to the swastika-displaying homeowner by banding together and raising money to rent a U-Haul truck to block his driveway on Saturday. Broad told CBS that the Jewish community is fed up.

“Just like prior generations had to learn about racism or homophobia, this new generation needs to learn the lessons of what is anti-Semitism,” Broad told CBS referring to the proposed new bill.

The rally will reportedly take place at 5:30 p.m. on the West Steps of the Capitol building.